Originally published at: Which Equipment Meets FAA Oxygen Requirements? - AVweb
Breathe easily at higher altitudes by selecting oxygen equipment that meets FAA compliance standards.
So, AVweb, tell me: what does “Affiliate Content” mean? Is the content decided by AVweb editors, or by a paying customer? Does the listed author, Kasia Szwed-Carlson , take their instructions from AVweb or from the customer? Only one vendor’s products are mentioned in this article. Should I deduce that that vendor paid for this content to be put in front of me?
I think it is harmful to AVweb’s reputation for trustworthy content to have the line between advertisement and reporting be as blurry as it is in this article.
[Edited to correct a spelling error. —Jim]
It means that we’ve linked to that company’s products and if someone who uses those links ends up buying something from that company, we’ll make a little money. That’s why it’s labeled as such and includes a disclaimer.
I take it that the “it” in this reply refers to the “Affiliate Content” label. So you have described the behaviour of the links. The label still doesn’t clarify who wrote the story, and who chose to run the story. Lack of transparency about those choices does more to undermine AVweb’s reputation than the behaviour of the product links.
We (Firecrown and AVweb) decide what content appears. The oxygen company didn’t “buy” the space like what we used to call an advertorial. Its products were included in a general interest story about oxygen requirements and we will make money if it makes money from it. The author works for a separate division of Firecrown and does not write the regular news content in AVweb. We will not be including these money-making links in the news content. I and my staff will continue to do our jobs as normal without any pressure to link to anyone. I don’t know what else to tell you Jim. AVweb is free for you to read or not as you see fit but it has to be funded somehow. This is an internet version of a revenue producing feature that has been around since media as we know it has been around.
Affiliate content is 100% normal on pretty much every news site out there. While its amazing that desperation has reached such levels, clearly marked content gives the reader every option to skip the clicking and consumption.
As a former owner/ publisher of a aviation related news site I am a bit puzzled, though. Does todays aviation news consumer really still think that people work full time for a warm handshake?
If so, I invite you to spend some time in advertising sales for a couple of major publications and try to squeeze a couple hundred thousand out of a bunch if copper-wire producing ad agencies. Been there, done it. If you think your fellow pilot friends are cheap, your head will spin square off your throat and fly away.
Who do you think pays for any publishers presence and coverage from major aviation events? Aviation publishing is a surefire way to get a glimpse behind some curtains which had better remained closed. 
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My first thought was whether or not this was an advertisement. But that’s been well sorted.
Unless anything has changed an the past few years, there is no mention in the FARs about ABO or Aviators Breathing Oxygen, though it does sound really cool. Anyone with knowledge of chemistry or physics would understand how oxygen is obtained from air and realize that there’s no moisture or particulate matter in it.
I have been breathing welding oxygen (at probably 1/5 the cost of “ABO”) since the 80s without adverse effects. I routinely serviced my glider’s O2 system with it and routinely flew for hours on end at just under Class A airspace using a Mountain High pulse demand regulator and up to FL280 in a glider using surplus military equipment (A8 regulator and pressure demand mask). ABO is one of the world’s greatest money making schemes!
Having said that, if I was running an FBO, I’d be frightened to sell anything other than ABO to a paying customer for liability reasons. Layers, don’tcha know…